Top 10 Tips for Growing a Container Garden

In the fields of the small country town in Georgia where I come from it’s rare that you hear of growing plants in a bucket or container.  Veggies and fruits are grown in farm fields that are miles long.  Growing up, my daddy farmed quite a bit and still does to this day, so when I told him that I could have a city garden and grow it in containers, he laughed and said, “you can’t grow that in a container. It’s just not big enough.”  That’s when I took to Google and YouTube to search.  When I am unsure of something, I almost always can tell how crazy my idea is as to how much info I find, my thought is if you’re thinking about doing it, someone else is probably already thought of it, doing it, or planning to.  I was right.  Container gardening was really a thing. 

Well 4 garden seasons later…I’ve had much success and sometimes have had better harvests than some of his.  He’s always blown away at how good my little garden does.  I’ve tried planting in my yard the first time around and it didn’t go so well because the yard was too shaded.  With containers, I can plan around that and put things in a place where there is more sun.  In the future, hoping to have a yard that has lots of sun and space for gardening in the ground.  A place for a she shed and all.🤞🏾

But until then…I’ll grow mostly in containers.  Today, I thought I would share the things I have learned.  Here are my “Top 10 Tips for Growing a Container Garden.”

1.)  The bigger the container, the better.  Always consider the size the plant will be once it matures, 2 to 5 gallon containers with a 12 inch diameter will work best.  To give you some ideas:  I mostly use 5 gallon buckets for plants like tomatoes.  I use 2 gallon containers for peppers.  For all my leafy greens like lettuce, collards mustards, turnips, and kale, I use aeration grow bags.  I also use these for plants like squash, zucchini, and cucumbers.  I usually find the best prices on Amazon here.  I love them!  You can usually get two or more plants to a bag especially for 15 gallon and above.

2.)  Be sure containers are food safe containers. Check the resin code, the triangle with number inside, generally numbers 1 – 7 are food safe, but please double check.  You can find out more about resin codes and which is safe for what here at Eartheasy.

3.)  Containers must have good drainage holes. Check and test holes before planting and make more holes if needed.  You can test holes by filling the container up with water to see how quickly the water drains.  You want to have good drain holes to prevent root rotting of your plants.  

4.)  Choose potting soil for containers.  Starting with great soil is a must to have a successful garden period, but this is especially true for container gardens.  I typically use a mix of potting and garden soil.  Ideally it’s not good to just use the soil from your yard for containers because it is usually heavy which doesn’t allow for good drainage.  I usually use the Miracle-Gro® brand as it contains the right blend of compost, peat moss, and coir (which is the inner and outer husk of a coconut).  This will ensure that your containers have the right growing environment for success.

5.)  Where to place containers? Most plants need 6-8 hours of sunlight, but some only need 3-6 hours. This is what I love best about growing plants in containers is that you can move them around your yard wherever it is best for them to thrive.  Every place that I have ever lived, I would always run into a problem with too much sun or not enough for what I wanted to plant.  Another great tip is to try to place the containers near a hose or water source so it is easy to water them or you could buy a very long hose if needed. Get creative and use patios, backyards, front yards, decks, balconies, and window boxes to place your containers.

6.)  Every two weeks, fertilize your garden with a slow release liquid plant food, I prefer 10-10-10 (10% nitrogen, 10% phosphate, 10% potassium) for the healthiest plants and biggest yields.

7.)  Use a trellis to support tall vines like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and beans.  Place the trellis either near a wall or over the plant when the plant is just a few inches tall.  Plants grow fast.  I used to make the mistake of trying to put a growing plant on a trellis some time after it had grown.  For tomatoes, use tomato cages. 

8.)  Water your plants often and carefully.  I recommend twice per day- early morning and afternoon about 3-4 pm especially if you live in a very hot climate during summer.  Try not to water too late in the evening and water at the root of the plants, not the leaves.  This will help prevent disease.  Always check your soil to see how wet or dry it is before watering.  Most of the time after a good rain, you can skip a  watering..

9.)  Harvest plants as soon as they are ready so they keep producing.

10.)  Prep your containers for the winter months.  Unless you live in a year long hot and dry climate, you will need to clean your containers at the end of the gardening season before the winter months.  Throw away dead plants, empty soil to your compost pile, clean, and store containers.  Some containers will crack if left. 

I hope that you have found my tips helpful.  I am not an expert, but I do have lots of experience.  I lived and worked on a farm my entire childhood and since becoming an adult I have grown veggies and fruit for the past few years and mostly in containers.  Also, having a better harvest sometimes than my daddy who is a true farmer.  I know a few things. 🙂

Happy container gardening!

Did you find this post helpful, pin the image below to your Pinterest account!